Forestry Sector Jobs Threatened, Regional Reps Say
Three Wisconsin representatives say the profitability of Wisconsin's $20.5 billion forest products industry could be threatened by the repeal of collective bargaining rights in Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill.
Rep. Nick Milroy (D-South Range), Rep. Fred Clark (D-Baraboo), and Rep. Janet Bewley (D-Ashland) issued a joint statement this week. All the representatives have ties to the Assembly committee on Forestry.
According to the representatives, Wisconsin's forests and forest sector companies support more than 300,000 jobs, with thousands of these jobs in pulp and paper companies certified as sustainable managers by third parties.
The certification of Wisconsin's largest forest products companies has provided Wisconsin paper makers with secure markets, with companies such as Time-Warner that print national market magazines.
Without the competitive niche provided by certification, Wisconsin's high-grade paper industry would have been much more severely impacted during the recession of 2008 and 2009, the representatives say.
Forest certification standards of the Forest Stewardship Council require adherence with internationally-recognized labor standards, including the rights of workers to collectively bargain. The organizations who oversee sustainable forestry standards believe the elimination of collective bargaining rights for public employees who manage state and county forests jeopardizes the certified status of any company with wood supplied from public lands, the representatives report.
“Northern Wisconsin's economy depends on a strong forest products market,” said Milroy. “Governor Walker's proposal to strip the rights of workers in the forestry sector will hurt the marketability of our forest products and could cripple the economy of our region.”
Loss of certified markets could result in the loss of thousands of jobs in Wisconsin paper mills, owned by companies such as New Page, Domtar Paper, Thilmany Paper, Sappi Fine Paper, and more than 70 firms who are certified, the representatives say.
“Loss of markets and potential job losses in the forest product industry is just one more example of the unknown implications of passing such a sweeping piece of legislation in such a short time,” said Clark.
Milroy is the ranking Democratic member on the Assembly Committee on Forestry. Clark, a professional forester, is the former committee chair. Bewley is a new freshman member on the committee.